The work is progressing

It’s been a great week! The 3 Gomar kids were baptized! Such a miracle! It was really special cuz they wanted each one of us to baptize one of them. Being in a trio, it worked out perfectly. The actual baptismal service was good. The Gomar family made sure to get there plenty early. While they were waiting, we were running around making sure everything was ok. The baptism started and the chapel was half way filled. By the end it was full, about 60 people. The oldest, Fernanda, was baptized first. Then came Julio. And last was Cerjio. As the leaders were giving a welcome to the Gomar familiy, it was incredible to see the entire family hugging and crying. Baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost are so important and truly a doorway to more opportunities and blessings our Heavenly Father wants to give us.

Another miracle, one day we were knocking doors and found this crazy guy who let us share a message. At first, he didn´t seem very positive. Many times he would interupt us, ask off topic questions or just ignore us. By the end of the lesson, however, he told us of a drinking and drug problem he´s had for a while and said he wants our help. His wife was very receptive and was more than happy to listen to us as well. By the second visit, the whole family had a baptismal date to work for. They were excited to hear of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration of the church. They have a hard time coming to church cuz of work on Sundays, but poco a poco [little by little].

We were also able to meet a man named Luis. He let us in his house and was happy to hear us. He was renting the room and had left his wife and little girl in the coast to work here in Xela. We bore testimony of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and that there was one real church. At the end he just stared at us and said. ¨I didn´t know there was just one true church. Now I know the church has been restored on the earth.¨ Isn’t it great to know this? He accepted a baptismal date as well. Another miracle.

We´ve been working a lot with Isaias and Floridalma. There kids were baptized just a little bit ago but Isaias and Floridalma have been having trouble commiting to a baptismal date. Plus they aren´t married yet. When we went to visit them this past Saturday with the bishop, Isaias said out of the blue that he and his wife are ready to be married. He put the date himself. If everything goes right, there should be a wedding soon, hopefully followed by a baptism. We´ve been pushing hard that they read and ask God if these things are true. I know that if they do, they´ll receive an answer!

In my personal studies this week, I read a part in Elder Ucthdorf´s talk entitled ¨On Being Genuine¨

¨Here in the Church of Jesus Christ you can mature spiritually and draw closer to the Savior by applying gospel principles day by day.

With patience and persistence, even the smallest act of discipleship or the tiniest ember of belief can become a blazing bonfire of a consecrated life. In fact, that’s how most bonfires begin—as a simple spark.¨

It starts with a small beginning that can spark into something much greater with patience, persistence and daily effort.

Have a great week!

Elder Hicken

P.S. Oh, last Monday, I forgot to mention we were able to go to a Mayan history museum. Got to see all the different types of traditional apparel common to each region in Guatemala. There is so much symbolism I didn´t know before. Now every time I see corte, it seems to stick out a bit more.

Corte comes from the verb cortar, meaning "to cut".  The fabric is a cut (or length) of cloth which is typically handwoven on a foot powered treadle loom.  This cloth is produced in bolts (or rolls) and a section of fabric which forms the skirt, usually many yards in length, is cut from them.  This fabric isn't sold by the yard, but rather the length or "corte".  Much of the fabric is woven in Salcaja and Totonicapan.  Not all villages produce this corte fabric by the bolts, for instance many of the villages in Huehuetenango weave their skirts individually, reflecting their village identity.  Though the styles vary, most commonly the corte is sewn in a tube-like fashion and it's worn by stepping inside of the tube, wrapping the balance of the fabric around the hips in a very tight manner.  The corte is then secured with a sash tied at the waist.  These skirts are usually mid-calf to floor length.